This has been another busy week with his first agility exercises. Many thanks to Deb Schulman of Coaching K-9's in Platteville, WI for her help in giving Valen this powerful, confidence building opportunity.
He had his first bath since his big dematting; with his body processing so much inflammation, he's quickly gotten "greasy." Though not thrilled about the process at first, he got comfortable with just a little work.
| The night we first brought him home, we stopped at the local dog park for neutral-space, dog introductions. The fifteen minutes we observed him there that night underscored his brokenness and how MUCH he had to learn. :) Yesterday, just three weeks later, he went back again to the same park but blatantly not as the same dog! |
This week has seen significant time/diversity/intensity increases to his multiple daily training outings, tandem adventures, learning to enjoy so many new people, and lots of working through the things that upset him most--over and over and over again--including running children, big dogs, new doorways, various styles of stairs, and curbs: big curbs, snowy curbs, so MANY curbs!
This has been Valen's strongest week yet. It's happening more and more often that he seems to be "just a regular dog," no longer always standing out as the shattered thing shrouded by so many question marks. He will always carry his background with him to some degree, but we're watching its effect slip off him like an old coat. Valen is increasingly confident, curious, and as goofy as a two-year-old SPoo should be...and, perhaps, will be ready soon for his incredibly lucky forever-home to continue showing him what happily ever after looks like.
He is strong, intelligent, forgiving, courageous, sweet, and silly--and has been so worth fixing....
He is strong, intelligent, forgiving, courageous, sweet, and silly--and has been so worth fixing....
Good boy, Valen. Good boy.
Now, back to work, silly dog...next project: Operation Ceiling-Fans-Will-Not-Kill-You!
Now, back to work, silly dog...next project: Operation Ceiling-Fans-Will-Not-Kill-You!